Identical twins Christian and Christoffer Collins have made a profound impact at the Chattanooga Preparatory School. The Collins brothers have become beloved figures at the school and have left a lasting impression on their students, colleagues and the community at large.
Christoffer serves as the varsity basketball head coach and 8th/9th grade physical education teacher, while Christian serves as a 6th grade physical education teacher and coach for the Sentinels. Christoffer succeeded in persuading Christian to leave a nursing career to come and help him build a basketball program at the all-boys charter school located in Highland Park.
For Christian, the decision to join his twin brother made sense. “I started off wanting to become a teacher. My mom, dad and uncle were all educators,” he said.
But for both Christian and Christoffer, their work at Chattanooga Prep is more than just a job–it’s a calling. They are passionate about education and sports, and they believe that they can make a difference in the lives of young people.
“What I do on a daily basis, I don’t call work, I call it my passion–because of the love I have for the sport of basketball and the countless young men and women in whose lives I have the pleasure of making a difference,” Christoffer said.
“God has blessed me to be able to live out a daily dream by combining two of my greatest passions, the game of basketball and helping people as a coach and as an educator. There is no greater feeling in the world than being able to help individuals develop discipline, persistence, belief, a work ethic, leadership skills and respect for others both on and off the court.”
The 39-year-old Collins twins were born and raised in Chattanooga, and both attended Brainerd High School before pursuing higher education. Since their arrival at Chattanooga Prep, they have become integral parts of the school’s community.
As coaches, they have led the school’s basketball team to multiple victories and have helped the players develop both on and off the court. They have also worked tirelessly to instill important values in their students, including hard work, dedication and respect.
Chattanooga Prep finished the 2023 high school basketball season advancing to the Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association (TSSAA) State Final Four after winning the program’s first state quarterfinal debut, finishing the season 29-9.
“Chattanooga Prep has allowed me to live out my passion being a founding coach and teacher by developing boys into becoming young men,” Christoffer said. “These are the same young men who I am confident enough to say will be the future leaders of America.”
Christoffer is the founder of CKC Elite Basketball Training. He has coached/trained six McDonald All-Americans, five Brand Jordan All-Americans, 10 Mr. and Miss Basketball finalists and winners, two Gatorade Player of the Year winners, a 3x USA Gold Medalist, and two NBA and WNBA champions. Chattanooga Prep opened in 2018 as the city’s first all-boys public charter school, welcoming 66 students at the time. The school focuses on providing an excellent education to underserved communities.